Hosea Chapter 3

Scripture Reading:  Read Hosea Chapter 3.  

Not Your Average Easter Play:

Hosea 3:1-2 – "The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress.  Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.” So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley.”  (NIV)

I’ve seen many Easter plays in church and different dramas depicting various parts of the story of Christ’s redemption, but I’ve never seen an Easter play like this one! I suspect the reason is that a depiction of a prostitute caught in the act isn’t something Church people would appreciate on Sunday morning. However, though the image may make us blush, we see a picture here of Christ's loving redemption.  

Gomer, the prostitute, is lost in her sin, and Hosea is faithful to God and buys her back even though she is unfaithful. She doesn’t deserve redemption, yet Hosea redeems her anyway. This may sound eerily familiar; it’s because we have all played the harlot as well and are wretchedly lost in our sin. The Lord Jesus Christ offered his very blood on the cross as the payment necessary to purchase our salvation, a gift we could never earn.  

I can understand why we don’t use this story of Hosea and his unfaithful wife in our Easter plays; it's messy. But when we overlook Hosea's story, we overlook the extravagant love of God. Hosea's lavish love for his unfaithful wife represents the fantastic depth of God's love for sinful humanity.  

Prayer:  Thank you, Lord, for this incredible reminder of our undeserved salvation in you. Remind me today of your extravagant love.